Travel Guides: North Carolina
General Information
Perfect for travellers who seek unspoiled beaches or peaceful mountain scenery, North Carolina is not a state known for its high-paced cities and cultural attractions. Its two best features, the mountains and the coast, are situated on opposite sides of the state, with miles of sparsely populated ground separating them.
The west is home to beautiful rugged mountains, valleys and flower-filled meadows, waterfalls, streams and rivers brimming with trout, scenic drives and miles of hiking trails. Sharing the border with Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country with acres of virgin forests and the oldest mountains on earth. Snaking its way along the backbone of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range is the dramatic Blue Ridge Parkway providing magnificent scenery and elevated views on its way towards Virginia.
To the east is the Atlantic coast with good beaches, fascinating historical sites and natural refuges that stretch from the thin band of barrier islands known as the Outer Banks to the Cape Fear Coast and the seaport of Wilmington in the south. Apart from seaside holiday resorts, most of the beaches, dunes and marsh areas are protected within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and there are plenty of recreational activities such as surfing, fishing, swimming and birdwatching on offer.
The central Piedmont, or Heartland, lies between the coastal plains and the mountains and is a largely industrial and agricultural region of textile and tobacco towns, dominated by the academic institutions of the celebrated Research Triangle, a trio of university towns including Durham, the state capital of Raleigh, and Chapel Hill. A typically southern pace of life exists among the rolling farmland and picturesque golf courses despite the growth and swift economic progress, with landscapes reminiscent of the writings of Southern authors such as Thomas Wolfe.
Activities
Airlie Gardens, Wilmington North Carolina
Established in 1901 and spanning 67 acres, these gardens by the sea comprise formal gardens, a butterfly garden, wildlife, historic structures, walking trails, sculptures, freshwater lakes and breathtaking views over Bradley Creek. Airlie Gardens are best known for their collection of over 1,000 azaleas, their countless cultivars of camellia and the Airlie Oak, the gardens' majestic centrepiece dating back to 1545. Airlie offers various events throughout the year, including kayak eco tours, oyster roasts and concerts.
Opening Times:
Daily 9am-5pm
Admission:
$5 (adults), $3 (children 36)
Asheville Historic Trolley Tours, Asheville
Asheville's historic attractions are best seen from aboard a vintage trolley. This narrated tour features the town's memorable sites such as the Montford Historic District, the Grove Park Inn and Biltmore Village. The Thomas Wolfe memorial and Grove Arcade Building are also included in the tour. The ghost tours add a darker twist...Opening Times:
Regular tours between 10am and 12pm; ghost tours,
Saturdays 7.30pm
Admission:
$19 (adult) and $12 (children)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina Mountains
Straddling the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park boasts many natural assets that have made this one of the most visited national parks in the country. The Smoky Mountains, named for the blue smoke-like mist that frequently hovers in the air (caused by the natural oils and water vapour released into the air by the plants), are the oldest mountains in the world. The mountainsides are covered in an unparalleled diversity of wildflowers, plants and trees, and the park is renowned for its multitude of birds, fish and mammals, particularly black bears.
Within its vast wilderness are streams, rivers and waterfalls, acres of virgin forest and miles of hiking trails, including part of the Appalachian Trail that runs along the crest of the mountains through the park. Remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture can be discovered in the numerous historic buildings around the park, many of them found in the isolated mountain valley of Cades Cove that features cultural history as well as many recreational opportunities. Barns, churches, farmhouses and a gristmill preserved from the pioneer settlers of the 19th century can be viewed along the one-way loop road that is the most popular way to visit the Cove. The land was once sacred to the Cherokee who were brutally removed from their ancestral home in 1838 to Oklahoma along the Trail of Tears, but some remained hidden in the mountains and the Quall Indian reservation was later formed, sharing part of the park's southern border.
On the edge of the park the town of Cherokee (North Carolina) and Gatlinburg (Tennessee) offer extensive visitor facilities, and the smaller towns of Bryson City (North Carolina) and Townsend (Tennessee) are more pleasant but with limited services. During summer and autumn, accommodation can be booked up for weeks and roads leading to the park become jammed with traffic. The headquarters of the North Carolina side of the park is the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee.
Getting There:
No train or bus services access the park, therefore
private transport is essential
Opening Times:
The park is open year round, but some roads may be
closed in winter (for updated road and weather information, call +1
865 436 1200). The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is open daily from
8am to 6pm (October), 8am to 4:30pm (November to March), and 8am to
5pm (April)
Admission:
There is no park entrance fee
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina Mountains
Designed as a scenic drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile (755km) road connecting the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Running through the Southern Appalachians, most of the roadway follows the spine of the Blue Ridge Range providing stunning scenery and magnificent vistas of distant mountain peaks, twisting through mountainous country that would otherwise be inaccessible. It was begun in 1935 to link the parks and also to provide employment during the Great Depression, and today the parkway attracts more than 20 million visitors annually. Its main attraction is the endless dramatic viewpoints overlooking forested mountains and valleys, and the rich autumn colours that blaze in October that are the highlight of the year, drawing crowds of motorists. The parkway's highest elevation of 6,047ft (1,843m) at Richland Balsam Overlook has magnificent views. The road provides access to many hiking trails, including a section of the Appalachian Trail that follows the parkway from Mile 0 to Mile 103, as well as unusual rock formations, impressive waterfalls, wild flowers, lakes, and camping and picnic sites. Along the way are visitor centres, food and modern lodgings nestled in striking mountain scenery.
Getting There:
As no commercial traffic is permitted, private transport
is essential. The road is marked every mile beginning at Shenandoah
National Park in Virginia (Mile 0) and ending at Great Smoky
Mountain National Park (Mile 469)
Opening Times:
The Folk Art Center is the Parkway's only year-round
visitor centre at MP 382 in Asheville. During extreme weather
conditions sections of the road may be closed (daily updates
available on the park information line +1 828 298 0398), but
campgrounds, visitor centres and picnic areas are generally opened
from May to October
Admission:
There is no fee for using the parkway
North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh
The collection at the North Carolina Museum of Art spans 5,000 years, from ancient Egypt up to the present day. Ancient pieces include Greek and Roman sculptures and vases, but it is the European collection that is internationally celebrated. This includes significant works from the Renaissance through Impressionist periods by artists such as Botticelli, Raphael and Monet. American art, however, is certainly not neglected. The museum has a range of 18th and 19th-century American works as well as modern art by major contemporary artists. The museum shop offers books, posters and other art-related merchandise, while the Blue Ridge restaurant, overlooking the lush grounds scattered with sculptures, serves delicious lunches.
Opening Times:
Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday 9am to 5pm; Friday
9am to 9pm; Sunday 10am to 5pm
Admission:
Free, although some special exhibits require
fees.
Artspace, Raleigh
Artspace is a pioneering visual arts centre that allows the public to become part of the creative process. As the heart of Raleigh's arts community, Artspace stages countless challenging and award-winning exhibitions, workshops, outreach programs and public events each year. Its unique open studio environment enables artists to collaborate with one another and with visitors. Today, it is the second-largest open studio space in the country.
Opening Times:
Tuesday to Saturday 10am-6pm
Admission:
Free
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has recreated a series of natural environments, complete with living animals and a 20-foot-high (6m) waterfall, through which visitors can walk and discover North Carolina's diverse geography, geology, plants and animals. The museum is also home to Willo, a 66-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton, the only one in the world with a fossilized heart. Other dinosaurs are also on display, as is one of the world's finest great whale skeletons. The Afro Café serves tasty breakfasts and lunches.
Opening Times:
Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm; Sunday 12pm to
5pm
Admission:
Free, although some special exhibits may require
fees
Bald Head Island, Wilmington North Carolina
Beautiful Bald Head Island lies off the tip of the Cape Fear peninsula, a serene retreat to a simpler way of life. Scattered along the tiny island's beaches and tidal creeks, and nestled amid its maritime forest, are stunning homes carefully constructed in the coastal architectural style to complement their natural surroundings. Many are available as holiday rentals, and year after year, families board the ferry at Southport, the only way to reach the island, for a week or two of relaxation. Bald Head is also a lovely day trip, however. There are no cars on the island, so visitors are free to meander along the roads on bicycles or golf carts. Other than the tiny, picturesque harbour, the country club and the Old Baldy Lighthouse, the main attractions are the sun, the sand and the quiet.
Kitty Hawk, North Carolina Coast
Famous as the site of the Wright Brothers' first flight in 1903, Kitty Hawk is a sleepy village on the North Carolina coast that offers visitors the chance to enjoy outdoor activities such as kayaking, boating, golf, fishing, surfing, and more. The town itself has a few shops and restaurants, and family entertainment like cinemas and mini golf. The most popular attraction in Kitty Hawk is the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Visitor Centre.
Linville Caverns, Asheville
The Liville Caverns are an underground labyrinth of rooms and passageways moulded out of the rock-bed beneath Humpback Mountain by years of flowing water. The caverns were first discovered in the 19th century when it appeared that fish were swimming out the mountain. Today, guided tours make this extraordinary attraction available to all.
Opening Times:
Daily from 1 March to 30 November, weekends only
December and January
Admission:
$7 (adult) and $5 (children)
